Local pain disorders comprise pain that is specific to a particular tissue or region of a subject. For instance, certain types of neuropathic pain, such as post-herpetic neuralgia, are local pain disorders. Likewise, certain other types of pain, such as low back pain, are local pain disorders.
Many medications are used for the treatment of pain, ranging from well known, over-the-counter compounds such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds to newer chemical entities such as the cyclooxygenase II inhibitor compounds or narcotics such as opioids. Many such analgesics are used systemically, in order to treat non-localized pain.
What is needed is a transdermal delivery system that addresses the problems in the art associated with treatment of local pain disorders, together with related methods.